1. Describe global patterns of atmospheric heating and circulation.

What mechanisms

produce high precipitation in the tropics? What mechanisms produce high precipitation at

temperate latitudes? What mechanisms produce low precipitation in the tropics?

2. Use what you know about atmospheric circulation and seasonal changes in the sun’s

orientation to earth to explain the highly seasonal rainfall in the tropical dry forest and

tropical savanna biomes.

Global Patterns of Atmospheric Heating and Circulation

Atmospheric circulation is a very large scale movement of air in which thermal energy is

distributed on the surface of the earth. The atmospheric circulation changes from year to year

because of several factors. Some of the factors are mid-latitude depressions, tropical cells, and

other random pressure systems.

Global Atmospheric Circulation is a result of the Earth being heated from energy produced from

the Sun; however, this heat is unevenly distributed across the Earth's surface. Equatorial and

tropical regions receive much more solar energy than the mid-latitudes and the Polar Regions.

The tropics receive more heat radiation than they end up emitting. In contrast, the Polar Regions

emit more heat radiation than they receive. If there were no heat transferred from the tropics to

the Polar Regions the tropics would get continue to get hotter and the Polar Regions would

continue to get colder. This latitudinal heat imbalance is what causes the circulation of the

atmosphere and the oceans. About 60% of heat energy ends up being re-distributed around the
planet by the atmospheric circulation and about 40% is re-distributed by the ocean currents.

One way that heat is transferred from the equator to the poles is by a single circulation cell in

which air moves from the tropics to the poles and then back. This single-cell circulation model

was originally proposed in the 1700's by Hadley. With the Hadley Cell low latitude air moves

towards the Equator and then heats up. While the temperature rises the air rises vertically and

moves pole wards in the upper atmosphere. This is the reason for cells that dominate the tropics

and the sub-tropic climates. The second types of cell involved with atmospheric heating and

circulation is the Ferrell cell. This is a mid-latitude cell of atmospheric circulation. In this cell the

air moves poles towards the east near the surface and equator ward and in a westerly direction at

higher levels. The third cell associated with atmospheric heating and circulation is the Polar Cell.

With this cell, heat rises and then spreads out and travels towards the poles. When the air is

circulating over the poles the air then sinks and forms a polar high. At the surface, the air spreads

out from the polar high and the surface winds in the polar cells are easterly.

The tropical dry forest and the tropical savanna biomes are located at the tropical and subtropical

latitudes. These areas receive as much as several hundred centimeters of rain per a year.

Savannas are the tropical version of the temperate grasslands. Most of the savannas are caused

by climate patters where there is a strong dry season for a significant portion of the year. Large

tracks of savanna are also found in South America, India, and in Australia. The annual rainfall in

a savanna is between 50.8 to 127 cm of rain per a year and is concentrated in one season of the

year. 4 The reason that the rainy season in these biomes comes during the warmer months of the

year is due to the position of the sun and the hot humid air. During the warmer months, the
humid air rises off of the ground and then collides with the cooler air from above and then turns

into rain. The warm air of the warmer months is needed for this process to occur and create the

rain.

References:

1. www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/3sj.html

2. www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/3sj.html

3. www.biology-forums.com/index.php?topic=9910.0

4. www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm